What is Vestibular Rehabilitation?

Vestibular rehabilitation is a physiotherapy-lead treatment program for those presenting with vestibular dysfunction. Vestibular dysfunction most commonly presents as dizziness or vertigo, motion sensitivity and balance difficulties as a result of inner ear pathology. Vestibular dysfunction can also present with a multitude of other symptoms including headaches, nausea, blurry vision or light headedness. There are many causes of vertigo. Symptoms often happen when your balance systems and inner ear send different signals to your brain. This can lead to various symptoms.

The goal of vestibular rehabilitation is to reduce dizziness symptoms and improve your balance and stability while walking to improve your quality of life.

What can we treat:

Vestibular rehabilitation is beneficial for a variety of different client presentations. This includes those presenting with new onset dizziness or vertigo or long-standing balance and vertigo concerns from pathologies most commonly including:

How can our physiotherapists help you:

Our physiotherapists who provide vestibular physiotherapy have undergone further postgraduate training to be able to work with clients who have vestibular dysfunction. Our physiotherapists will complete a thorough assessment and diagnosis of your vestibular system to confirm the cause of your dizziness and reduce your symptoms. This will often involve using Infrared video goggles to get an accurate insight into what is happening in your inner ear and central nervous system. Following this, our clinicians will develop an individualised treatment plan related directly to your impairments and goals. This may include treatment given in the clinic during your visit. It can also include home exercises and balance exercises to help manage your concerns.

Research has shown that vestibular rehabilitation is effective at treating a wide variety of symptoms related to vestibular dysfunction

Hall et al., 2016

Please note that Vestibular Rehabilitation and Vestibular Physio is currently only offered at our Sunnybank Hills, Labrador and Ipswich clinics.

Resources:
Hall, C. D., Herdman, S. J., Whitney, S. L., Cass, S. P., Clendaniel, R. A., Fife, T. D., Furman, J. M., Getchius, T. S. D., Goebel, J. A., Shepard, N. T., & Woodhouse, S. N. (2016). Vestibular Rehabilitation for Peripheral Vestibular Hypofunction: An Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline: FROM THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL THERAPY ASSOCIATION NEUROLOGY SECTION. Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy, 40(2), 124–155. https://doi.org/10.1097/NPT.0000000000000120

Author: Britney Sullivan, Physiotherapist and Physiotherapist Clinical Lead BPhty (Hons 1), Grad Cert Neurological Rehabilitation